Rumbly tummy? Do you know why? Of course, the obvious answer is that you’re hungry. But before you dive into the kitchen to fix yourself something tasty, did you know there are#different types of hunger? Recognizing what’s causing your tummy to grumble can help you make a better choice in feeding it – or ignoring it, because sometimes, your hunger isn’t tummy-led but brain-led!
1. NATURAL HUNGER
If you have not eaten in a while, then you may feel natural hunger. There is not always a “reason” for your hunger. It is not always because you are deficient in some form of nutrient or because you are bored. Sometimes you are hungry because you haven’t had food in a while.
2. NUTRITIONAL HUNGER
This is one of the more natural types of hunger. It happens when your #body is low on certain nutrients. You find yourself craving certain foods, and if you are very deficient, then you may find yourself craving very #strange things. Growing a child in your womb uses up quite a lot of macro and micronutrients, which is why you crave #things during pregnancy. You may find yourself eating a food you do not usually like because you are deficient in the nutrients they contain.
3. ANXIETY HUNGER
This is not actually a form of hunger, but is actually an addictive response. If you are feeling anxious, you want to find ways to alleviate your anxiety. If you do not tackle the problem directly (maybe you cannot at that specific #time), then you will find something else to do in order to take action to fix your problem. An addict will turn to something addictive in order to “take action” and by anxiety eating you are doing the same. The hunger you feel is actually a physiological response to a feeling of helplessness.
4. ADDICTIVE HUNGER
Anxiety hunger is born through an addictive act, but may not be part of a long-term addiction. Anxiety hunger may happen in bouts or isolated incidents. If you turn to food compulsively, then the hunger you feel may be born of addiction. You turn to food when you feel helpless and may eat more than you need as a result. Addictive #hunger is hard to tackle because you cannot wean yourself off food; you can only limit your intake.
5. BOREDOM HUNGER
If you are tired, you may become bored. The feeling of boredom is born mostly through tiredness (more commonly described as ennui). Boredom hunger is one of the many types of #hunger that are actually more of a distraction rather than a necessity. You eat when you are bored because it is a distraction, and it may increase your energy levels because you are feeling tired (even if you do not know you are tired).
6. EMOTIONAL HUNGER
Think of how emotions affect you physically. Losing love may make your chest physically hurt, and something funny can make you laugh uncontrollably. Emotions that are linked to your base instincts (let’s say your “drives”) may be able to affect your level of hunger. It is possible for a certain mix of emotions and circumstances to create emotional hunger.
7. CELEBRATORY HUNGER
Some #people get into the habit of celebrating their success and may get into a habit that makes them crave food after a success. It may be a way of prolonging the celebratory feelings that come with success, but it is most likely a habitual or compulsive act.
8. HUNGER HABITS
Do something repeatedly and it becomes a habit. You may eat every day at 1pm, which may start to make you hungry just before 1pm every day. That is a #hunger habit. You may eat after every session at the gym, so you may find yourself hungry after you leave the gym.
9. VISUAL HUNGER
This may be one of the simplest types of hunger because it is based on what you see. If you see something you think is delicious, it may actually make you hungry.
I found this quite fascinating. I’d love to know if you are prone to any of these specific types of #hunger. Do share!
